Shame on our Nation

Jessica McKean

Shame on our Nation

This weeks reading was very eye opening. The Shame of the Nation was really hard for me to read because it was so sad. I never realized how bad some schools are and that race affects the schools conditions that much. “’ This,’ he told me, pointing to the garbage bag, then gesturing around him at the other indications of decay and despair ones sees in ghetto schools much like it elsewhere, ‘would not happen to white children’” (Kozol, 149). The whole story hit me hard but this line made me realize how much people believe that race influences a school. I knew that it existed, but I didn’t think that it was as severe as it is. I think that race affects all schools including MCCS; it’s a school of minorities so it won’t get as much funding and care. Also, MCCS has students that are considered having “bad behavior”, which I haven’t seen much of, but therefore there would be even less funding and care. It’s unfortunate because schools that aren’t doing well need more care to get them to the “average,” which are still not necessarily that good.

In The Shame of the Nation, Kozol talks about how the students are embarrassed to talk about the schools conditions. He describes his reactions to a student talking about how bad the schools bathrooms where, “ hearing of these conditions in Mireya’s words was even more unsettling, in part because this student seemed so fragile and because the need to speak of these indignities in front of me and all the other students was an additional indignity” (Kozol, 159). It’s understandable that it would be uncomfortable to talk about the bathroom conditions. No one should have to complain about bathrooms being gross or not being able to use bathrooms when necessary. Another student, Edward, explains “students are not animals, but even animals need to relieve themselves sometimes. We’re here for eight hours. What do they think we’re supposed to do?” (Kozol, 159). He makes a great point; apparently schools aren’t treating the kids like people. People need sanitary conditions to stay healthy and especially if most schools don’t have a nurse to help students when they do get sick.

From Kozol’s story, it seems like many people want to change things about schools. There are many things that need to be fixed or improved, but the “higher ups” don’t hear about the issues enough. As a person from Learning to Lead explains "if you don't know [the issues], you're not going to be able to understand how to change things...Lack of knowledge, or, for a better term, ignorance, is a disease in this country” (Learning to Lead, 6). The government is being very ignorant if they believe that all schools are up to “standards.” Kozol’s stories prove that not all schools are and that people need to take notice and try to do something to change the schools conditions. The kids in Kozol’s stories seem like they want changes, but because they are so fragile the students either don’t want to talk about the conditions to adults or they believe that adults wont listen to them. The students don’t know how to change things, but they don’t know what to do; “people want change, but they don't know what to do about it" and “a lot of people have visions for the future, but...they don't know [how to] help” (Learning to Lead, 5). Many people want to help but don’t think they are capable of it, when in reality everyone can help if they have a direction. Many people also think about the things that s/he can’t do, which discourages him/her from doing anything, so s/he doesn’t try.

I think that this does not exclude the MCCS students. From what we’ve heard it seems that many students want to go somewhere and create a better life for themselves. But it can be challenging when others are treating you like you can’t do anything or like you aren’t important. It was brought up in Kozol’s story a few times. He talked about students getting put into classes that they don’t want and won’t help them get into college. One student explained that they are put into classes that suit their current living situations. “’You’re ghetto, …so we send you to the factory… You’re ghetto—so you sew!’” (Kozol, 161). Fortino said this unrelentingly; it’s so sad that some don’t think that s/he can change their lifestyle and go somewhere else in life. It is possible to improve your life and we need to give all kids the same chance to do that. Why are we keeping the status quo? It will not threaten anyone to give all students the same opportunities. Then students can take them if they want, but the students will have the choice. We need to make the educational system equal for all.

Westheimer, J., Kahne, J., & Rogers, B. (1999). Learning to Lead: Building on Young People's Desire to 'Do Something. New Designs For Youth Development. Special Issue on Social Justice, 15(3), 41-46.